The use of randoseru began in the Edo era. Along with a wave of westerns reforms in the japanese military , the Netherlands-style rucksack called ransel (randoseru) was introduced as a new way for the foot soldiers to carry their baggage. The shape much resembled the randoseru bags used today. in 1885' the Japanese government, through the elementary school Gakushuin, proposed the use of a backpack as the new ideal for Japanese elementary school students. At Gakushuin, the practice of coming to school by cars and rickshaws were banned, promoting the idea that the students should carry their own equipment and come to school by their own feet. At this time, the bag looked more like normal rucksack. This changed, however, in 1887. The crown prince of the time was given a backpack upon entering elementary school (at Gakushuin). To honour the soldiers of the country, the shape of the backpack resembled the backpacks used in the military. This quite immediately became the fashion, and the shape has continued to become the randoseu used today. However, at that time most of the Japanese people could not afford such an expensive bag. Until the dramatic rise of economy in Japan in the post-World War II period, the main school bags in Japan were simple shoulder bags and furoshik square folding cloths).